To check and see if there is an improvement with something you bought to tweak your system? (such as a cable, isolation device, power filtration, etc.)

Do you play vocal, classical with complex passages, simple music such as acoustic guitar, etc. or something that is just very familiar and constantly in rotation within your library despite it not being anything out of the ordinary?

Do you start out with simple and/or build to more complex music? If so, what's your method?

I always start off with recordings that I made of bands I was in in the second half of the 'eighties that I made in my then garage-apartment where we rehearsed and/or made demo recordings. I know the players, the instruments, the room, the mikes, the deck and the way these sound tell me more about any changes than anything else I might play.

I also use recordings that I have been playing ever since I first set up my own stereo such as Miles Davis "Bitches Brew," John Coltrane "Crescent," Jimi Hendrix "Band of Gypsies" or Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain." And I'll often now listen to the cd and LP or even SACD version of some of these.

Usually from these two different types of recordings and listening sessions I can get a good handle on any changes.

Thanks Lon, it's info like this that I am looking for. I don't think I have the "golden ears" of a lot of you guys (being in the Navy I've been around a lot of aircraft and guns for the most of my life may be a part of it), but being familiar with a lot of my catalog I feel that I may notice changes better that way than using what may be determined as audiophile music that a lot of reviewers seem to use (such as female vocals like Diana Krall, etc.)

What I was thinking about doing is recording my system before a change and then after and then posting the before and after clips here on the forums. As I thought it may be fun to see if I and/or anybody else can hear noticeable differences. I only have an iPhone though so I'm unsure if this would be optimum or if purchasing some sort of external recording device would be better. It's my thought though that (as long as the iPhone is not moved from its original position) that we should still be able to hear changes.

Maybe. I don't listen to things on the computer. . .youtube, etc. For the most part I don't associate the computer with music, just not interested in music on a computer. I really don't feel that computer/laptop (in my case) speakers are really resolving or accurate enough for me to listen properly. I don't enjoy listening to headphones at all, and I don't have a way to really connect my laptop to my system, nor want to make the effort.

I'm an old stick in the mud when it comes to this sort of thing. (And a few other things!)

I have hi-res now, just not from a computer, and it sounds great. I just think playing around with music in computers is silly, seems to me like something for kids. I have enough discs to build a fort, I'm going to use them and I enjoy all the physical aspects of my collection and its use.

We're all different. Music files are the silliest thing of this century in my opinion. Don't want to play with them.

That would make CD's silly as well wouldn't it? They too are all digital music files just on a plastic disc instead of a hard disk ... (heck even a lot of vinyl is now recorded off of digital master tape ) Even is a compact disc player is but a single purpose computer.

I just don't want to play around with files on a computer, I use computers enough for other things, I want to keep them divorced from music.

I know it seems odd to people all accustomed or addicted to music files and computer audio, but computer audio and music files seem odd and silly to me.

I'm a grown man who has been through tons of shit, I know my time is precious, and I now don't allow myself to be pressured to do things I don't want to and as much as possible I don't do what I don't want to. I don't want to have anything to do with computer audio, and I won't.

Re: What type of music do you play ...Reply #11 - 06/25/14 at 00:51:02

That's just what I was thinking!

Okay, enough playing around from me, I have to finish up my duties and chores here and get my parents ready for bed soon. Sigh. This is a tough life I lead. Wish it were Thursday, the first of my two evenings off a week, I could be with my new gf.

Re: What type of music do you play ...Reply #12 - 06/25/14 at 14:19:45

I'm with you Lon.

Their is not enough content out there in Hi-Rez I want anyway?! I too have figured out...."cut the bullmalarky" from each an every one of my days...my time is precious an numbered.

I continue to round out my CD collection. An lets face it...the new PS Audio DSD DAC is about getting most of the Redbook Standard more "right" as it passes thru it to analog output! We know that...but some people are delusional about hi-rez continuing. However, I suppose the physical media will dry up and I will be forced into bit for bit downloads whatever.... .

Oh, and yes I spend to much of my time out of necessity in our society tied to either a Desktop, iPadII or my iphone 4S....so my Music does not have to be!

Re: What type of music do you play ...Reply #13 - 06/25/14 at 16:58:30

Back on topic...

I listen to live recordings to hear how the change impacts the sense of the hall. If I feel I get more "real" hall reverberations, its a success. Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall comes to mind.

For bass, I have an older 70s recording that slips my mind right now. If its tighter, and has more detail its a move in the right direction.

For imaging, I use a track with Duende by Bozzio Leven Stevens. It has great percussion that moves in a circle motion during the first third of the song. If I get a better sense for the circular motion, its a move in the right direction.

I also have a Gold Dust Woman inner detail acid test that I do to see how well you can pick out Christine McVie's voice on the first chorus (easy to hear in the second chorus). If I can't hear her voice stand out, I know its not a move in the right direction.

Those are all I can think of right now. Suffice it to say I have my usual tracks, but different tracks for testing improvements in different areas.

Re: What type of music do you play ...Reply #14 - 06/25/14 at 17:32:31

Those are fantastic observations!

Lately I've been sorta lazy - I've been more of the emotional type, and very focused on voices. It's a bit narrow, but if that Wailin' Jennys Summertime (Live) gets my heart a pitter-patterin' I know I'm on the right track.

Soon, I'll be back to focusing on reverb, sense of space, and the room the recording was made in, as well as imaging. I'll need a whole new set of sample tracks.